Cable management system and apparatus for portable rack-mounted electronics

A portable enclosure for transporting rack-mounted electronics, the enclosure comprising:

• a housing comprising enclosed sides;
• a rack within the housing for mounting electronics within the housing;
• at least one cover configured to attach to the housing to close the enclosure so that when the at least one cover is attached to the housing, electronics mounted to the rack within are completely enclosed within the portable enclosure for transport;
• and
• a cable management arm mounted in the enclosure, the cable management arm comprising:
• a first arm portion having a first end configured to mount the arm to in the enclosure and a second end that is opposite the first end in a first direction,
• a second arm portion rotationally coupled to the second end of the first arm portion such that the second arm portion is configured to rotate relative to the first arm portion away from the enclosure from a folded position to an extended position, the second arm portion comprising a guide configured for guiding cables routed to electronics housed within the enclosure, wherein the second arm portion is configured to rotate about an axis that extends vertically when the housing is positioned such that the first direction is a horizontal direction, and
• a latch mounted to the first arm portion or the second arm portion, the latch being movable to a latched position for preventing rotation of the second arm portion toward the folded position when the second arm portion is in the extended position and to an unlatched position for allowing rotation of the second arm portion relative to the first arm portion.

A portable rack-mounted electronics system comprising:

• at least two cases stacked in a stacking direction, wherein each case comprises:
• enclosed sides;
• a rack within the case for mounting electronics within the case;
• at least one cover configured to attach to the case to close the case so that when the at least one cover is attached to the case, electronics mounted to the rack within are completely enclosed within the case for transport;
• and
• a cable management arm mounted in the case and extending from an opening of the case, the cable management arm being movable about a joint of the cable management arm to a folded configuration and an extended configuration, the cable management arm comprising:
• a slider configured to span the joint to prevent rotation of the cable management arm when cable management arm is in the extended configuration;
• and
• a guide configured for guiding cables routed to electronics enclosed within the case, wherein the guide is mounted on a side of the cable management arm that faces an interior of the case when the cable management arm is in the folded configuration;
• and
• wherein the guides of the stacked cases align to form a raceway extending in the stacking direction when the cable management arms of the stacked cases are in the extended configuration.

A cable management apparatus for a portable rack-mounted electronics enclosure, the apparatus comprising:

• a first arm portion configured to mount the apparatus to the portable rack-mounted electronics enclosure, the first arm portion having a first end for attachment to the portable rack-mounted electronics enclosure and a second end that is opposite the first end in a first direction;
• a second arm portion rotationally coupled to the second end of the first arm portion such that the second arm portion is configured to rotate relative to the first arm portion away from the enclosure from a folded position to a first extended position and a second extended position, the second arm portion comprising a guide configured for guiding cables routed to electronics housed within the portable rack-mounted electronics enclosure, wherein the second arm portion is configured to rotate about an axis that extends vertically when the apparatus is positioned such that the first direction is a horizontal direction;
• a first latch for latching the second arm portion relative to the first arm portion in the first extended position;
• a slider of the first latch configured to span a joint between the first arm portion and the second arm portion to prevent rotation of the second arm portion relative to the first arm portion when the second arm portion is in the first extended position;
• and
• a second latch for latching the second arm portion relative to the first arm portion in the second extended position.